In 1936 the Washington State Legislature passed legislation authorizing the formation of public utility districts. The debate then centered on local issues of public versus private power until 1939 when the voters approved forming their own public utility district. That action put in motion engineering studies, financing proposals, negotiations, and legal challenges with the existing power company, the Washington Water Power Company (WWP). This process consumed 6 years until May 11, 1945 when the Okanogan County PUD paid Washington Water Power $2,314,240.33 for the entire system in Okanogan County, including Enloe Dam and a transmission line from Chelan, and began operating its own electric system.
In the past 40 years we have provided county residences and businesses with a low-cost, reliable source of electrical energy. Residential rates in 1946 were 1.6¢ per kWh (kilowatt-hour). That cost steadily decreased to a low of 0.94¢ per kWh in 1975. Today’s rates are still some of the lowest in the Northwest, the nation, and the world. Access electric rates for various countries.